Genesis 37
Joseph gives evil report on brothersverses 1-2
And Jacob dwelt in the land wherein his father was a sojourner
in the land of Canaan
These are the generations of Jacob
Joseph – being seventeen years old
was feeding the flock with his brethren
And the lad was with the sons of Bilhah
and with the sons of Zilpah – his father’s wives
and Joseph brought to his father their evil report
Joseph loved more than brothersverses 3-4
Now Israel loved Joseph MORE THAN all his children
BECAUSE he was the son of his old age
and he made him a COAT of MANY COLORS
And when his brethren saw that their father loved him
MORE THAN all his brethren – they HATED him
and could not speak peaceable to him
Joseph dreams dreamsverses 5-11
And Joseph dreamed a dream – and he told it to his brethren
and they HATED him yet the MORE
And he said to them
Hear – I pray you – this dream which I have dreamed
FOR behold – we were binding sheaves in the field
and lo – my sheaf arose – and also stood upright
and BEHOLD – your sheaves stood round about
and made OBEISANCE to my sheaf
And his brethren said to him
Shall you indeed reign over us?
OR shall you indeed have dominion over us?
And they HATED him yet the MORE for his dreams
and for his words
And he dreamed yet another dream – and told it to his brethren – and said
BEHOLD – I have dreamed a dream more
and BEHOLD – the sun and the moon and the eleven stars
made OBEISANCE to me
And he told it to his father and to his brethren
and his father REBUKED him – and said to him
What is this dream that you hast dreamed?
Shall I and your mother and your brethren
indeed come to bow down ourselves
to you to the earth?
And his brethren ENVIED him
BUT his father OBSERVED the saying
Joseph looks for his brothersverses 12-17
And his brethren went to feed their father’s flock in Shechem
and Israel said to Joseph
Do not your brethren feed the flock in Shechem?
come and I will send you to them
And he said to him
Here am I
And he said to him
Go – I pray you – see whether it be well with your brethren
and well with the flocks
And bring me word again
SO he sent him out of the vale of Hebron
and he came to Shechem
And a certain man found him – and behold
he was wandering in the field
and the man asked him saying
What seek you?
And he said
I seek my brethren – tell me – I pray you
where they feed their flocks
And the man said – They are departed hence
FOR I heard them say – Let us go to Dothan
And Joseph went after his brethren
and found them in Dothan
Brothers conspire against Josephverses 18-22
And when they saw him afar off
even before he came near to them
they CONSPIRED against him to SLAY him
And they said one to another – BEHOLD – this dreamer comes
Come now therefore – and let us SLAY him
and cast him into some pit – and we will say
Some evil beast has devoured him
and we shall see what will become of his dreams
And Reuben heard it – and he delivered him out of their hands
and said – Let us not KILL him
And Reuben said to them
Shed no blood
BUT cast him into this pit that is in the wilderness
and lay no hand on him
that he might rid him out of their hands
to deliver him to his father again
Brothers sell Joseph to Ishmaeliteverses 23-28
And it came to pass – when Joseph was come to his brethren
that they STRIPPED Joseph out of his COAT
his coat of many colors that was on him
and they took him – and cast him into a pit
and the pit was empty – there was no water in it
And they sat down to eat bread
and they lifted up their eyes and looked
and – behold – a company of Ishmaelites came from Gilead
with camels bearing spicery – balm – myrrh
going to carry it down to Egypt
And Judah said to his brethren
What profit is it if we SLAY our brother
and conceal his blood?
Come and let us SELL him to the Ishmaelites
and let not our hand be on him
FOR he is our brother and our flesh
And his brethren were CONTENT
THEN there passed by Midianites merchantmen
and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit
and SOLD Joseph to the Ishmaelites for
TWENTY pieces of silver
and they brought Joseph into Egypt
Brothers tell story about Joseph’s deathverses 29-35
And Reuben returned to the pit
and BEHOLD – Joseph was not in the pit
and he tore his clothes
And he returned to his brethren and said
The child is not – and I – where shall I go?
And they took Joseph’s coat – and killed a kid of the goats
and dipped the coat in the blood
And they sent the coat of many colors
and they brought it to their father and said
This have we found
know not whether it be
your son’s coat or no
And he recognized it and said – It is my son’s coat
an evil beast has devoured him
Joseph is without doubt torn in pieces
And Jacob tore his clothes and put sackcloth on his loins
and mourned for his son many days
And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to COMFORT him
BUT he REFUSED to be COMFORTED
And he said
For I will go down into the grave to my son mourning
Thus his father WEPT for him
Joseph sold to Potipharverse 36
And the Midianites sold him into Egypt to Potiphar
an officer of Pharaoh’s – and captain of the guard
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 4 And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably to him. (7965 “peaceably” [shalowm, shalom] means peace, well, tranqullity, friendship, harmonious relationship, free from disputes, or healthy)
DEVOTION: Favoritism in a family can cause many problems. If the mother loves one of her children more than the others – they know it. If the father loves one of his children more than the others – they know it.
It is no secret that usually the mother will love the son and they will be close throughout their lives. It is not secret that a father loves a daughter more than others because it is a special bond.
Sometimes this is not true. Whatever the special bond between a parent and a child it should only one that tries to treat each child the same. There is sometimes a child that has a special need that causes a parent to spend more time with them because they need the extra help.
Here we have a child who has eleven other brothers. This child received a special gift from his father to show how much he loved him. This made the other sons jealous.
In fact, the other brothers didn’t have a kind word to say about the brother to each other or anyone else. It was wrong for the father to show this kind of favoritism to one son over the others but he did it.
Remember that Jacob or Israel wanted to marry Rachel first and foremost when he came to his uncle’s place. The uncle tricked him into a marriage with his oldest daughter Leah and then gave him Rachel. Rachel couldn’t have children at first and so the other sons were born first.
Joseph was the first son of Rachel and was born close to last in the family. He had another brother from his mother called Benjamin. These two sons were special to Jacob or Israel because of their mother.
Now we have Joseph as a teenager telling his father what his older brothers were doing wrong. He was honest with his father and he loved him for it. The brothers didn’t like him squealing on them and carried a grudge.
This causes real problems in a family.
CHALLENGE: Parents need to watch how they treat each child in relationship to their other children. Be fair but never show this kind of favoritism to one over the other.
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 27 Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmeelites, and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother and our flesh. And his brethren were (8085 “content” [shama] means to hear, to listen, pay close attention, to consent, to agree, to grant request, to comprehend, or to obey)
DEVOTION: Judah asks his brothers to hear his thoughts regarding what they should do with Joseph. They listened to what he had to day and agreed that it would be better to make some money off their brother rather than to kill him.
They were willing to sell their brother as a slave than to kill him. They didn’t want his dreams to come true and they thought if they sold him as a slave he would be a slave for life and never bother them again.
The brothers were jealous of his coat of many colors. They didn’t like him saying that they would have to bow down to him. They just thought he was spoiled and he needed a lesson.
Have we ever wanted to hurt a brother or sister because we thought they were getting special treatment from our parents? What did we do to that sibling that would cause him/her pain?
As believers we are not to be jealous of someone getting special blessings from the LORD. We are to be glad for them. We are to cheer them along with others for their special place. Jealousy should never be an issue, with genuine believers if they see someone else receive some praise for some ministry they have done.
God wants us to encourage one another. This can only be done if we have a desire to see those around us grow in the LORD and receive praise for their accomplishments for HIM.
Too often family member whether at home or in the church are not showing the love the LORD wants us to show to each other daily. We are to love one another just as Christ has loved us and HIS church.
CHALLENGE: What are we doing when someone else receives special treatment in our home or in our church? Are we praising them along with others or showing jealousy?
: 32 And they sent the coat of many colors, and they brought it to their father, and said, This have we found: know now whether it be your son’s coat or no. (4672 “found” [matsa’] means find, find out, to meet accidentally, to obtain, to discover or determine the existence, acquire, or encounter)
DEVOTION: The Bible instructs us in the fact that the sin of the father visits the children to the third and fourth generation. The book of Hebrews instructs us in the fact that there is a besetting sin in the life of every person.
Now we have studied the lives of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and found that their besetting sin was lying. They each had an opportunity to trust the LORD in stressful situations and chose to lie instead of tell the truth about something.
We find that this is the fourth generations and the brothers are following in the footsteps of their great-grandfather, grandfather and father by telling Israel or Jacob a lie about what has happened to Joseph.
We need to understand our tendency to follow in the footsteps of our parents and ask the LORD to give us victory over the sin of our relatives that have gone before us.
God can give us victory over the besetting sin in our life. We have to go to HIM in faith and ask HIM to give us victory each time we are tempted in our area of sin.
Victory is only promised when we go to the LORD in prayer and in the power of the Holy Spirit and face whatever the world, the flesh or the devil is tempting us to do.
CHALLENGE: Each of us can have victory when we turn our lives over to the LORD!! It has to be a daily occurrence!!!
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 34 And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days. (56 “mourned” [‘abel] means grieve, bewail, or lament)
DEVOTION: Sibling revelry is real. This is especially true in mixed families. Here we have four wives of the same man with children from each wife. The oldest child of the favorite wife is having dreams about his siblings worshiping him. He received a special coat from the father because he was his favorite. Does this sound like a pattern for trouble?
I grew up in a home with seven children of two parents. Each of the parents remarried and there were four more children from my father and three more children from my mother. Our step parents also had children. It caused some problems growing up and even into our adult life.
I now have four children with twelve grandchildren. Could we start treating one of our grandchildren better than the other grandchildren? Would this treatment cause problems? Yes!!!
Now we have Joseph with a special coat of many colors. He has had dreams that irritate his brothers. He was sent to visit his brothers to check on them. They saw him coming. They hated him. They were envious of him. They had the means and motive to kill him.
Reuben wanted to save his life. He told his brothers to just cast him into a pit with the hopes of saving him later. He came back later. His brothers had sold him at the suggestion of Judah.
Now they had to come up with a believable story to tell their father. They took his special coat and put goat’s blood on it and told Jacob that they found the coat. Remember the family besetting sin is LYING. Here we have it again.
Jacob really believed that his son was dead. The brothers lied to their father. The brothers received money for their brother. The brothers didn’t care that their father was lamenting the loss of a son that they knew was alive but let him think that he was dead. The brothers hated Joseph so much that they only thought of killing him or getting rid of him.
When we read this chapter can we see some actions that we are guilty of in our lives? Do we hate someone so much that we wished they were dead? Do we wish this upon someone who is a fellow Christian? Can there be church disagreements that end in one person hating another person in the church? Is there sibling revelry in Christian homes? Do all the children of your parents get along with one another? You might even ask if all my sibling get along.
Our world is mixed up. Many parents are mixed up. If parents show special treatment of one child over another it will cause problems. We expressed the problem between a parent loving children more than their spouse. Here is another problem in families. Parents loving one child more than another can cause the other siblings to not like the one who is treated better.
This is not the way Christian’s should live. Christian parents should treat all of their children at least close to the same. This is not the way that brothers should treat brothers. They only thought of themselves and not their father. Sometimes we only think only of ourselves. And don’t think of our Father in heaven.
In this story we know that God has a plan for Joseph but the brothers didn’t understand that they were working God’s plan. We are commanded to love one another. Are we doing it? Or do we get jealous if someone is a favorite?
The rest of the story is that Jacob or Israel couldn’t be comforted by his other sons. He refused. If there is love for all, all will grieve together, like a family should.
CHALLENGE: Try to love all your children equally. Some are harder to love but this should be goal for all Christian parents.
: 36 And the Midianites sold him into Egypt unto Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh’s, and captain of the guard. (4376 “sold” [makar] means 1 to sell. 1a (Qal). 1a1 to sell. 1a2 seller (participle). 1b (Niphal). 1b1 to be sold. 1b2 to sell oneself. 1b3 to be given over to death. 1c (Hithpael) to sell oneself. [Strong, J. (1995). Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon. Woodside Bible Fellowship])
DEVOTION: Have you ever felt betrayed by someone? It may have been a time when someone shared a secret about you with others, and you had told that person to keep this secret quiet. Perhaps it was someone at work who got promoted ahead of you or got recognized instead of you based on the work you had done.
Joseph is the first person we know of in the Bible who was sold into slavery. Can you imagine the hatred that existed in his brothers to do this? They wanted to be rid of him once and for all. Jacob had raised a family full of competition and dissension, and Joseph’s dreams only served to exacerbate that spirit of contention among the siblings. Can you imagine Joseph’s feelings as they were bartering with these traders to sell him into slavery? I suspect he felt the ultimate form of abandonment and wasn’t willing to trust too many people after this.
As it turns out, Joseph is the not the only person who was affected by the practice of buying and selling of human life. While there were many others after him, the most significant was Jesus Christ. His life was sold for a mere thirty pieces of silver by Judas, who also was altogether too happy to benefit from the transaction personally. Thus, Joseph becomes a type of the betrayal that Jesus would undergo later on. Joseph, however, maintained a steadfast trust in the LORD, and believed that the dreams that he had been given would ultimately come to pass someday due to LORD’s protection. In the same way, Jesus was able to trust the Father to fulfill His promise of salvation through the suffering Jesus would go through, including the betrayal by Judas. In both cases, Joseph and Jesus were able to forgive.
CHALLENGE: Is there anyone in your life that you have not yet been able to fully forgive because of their betrayal of you? If so, stop now and ask God to fill you with His love for that person. (MW)
DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
Obeisanceverses 7, 9
DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead – God/man, Messiah)
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Land of Canaanverse 1
Shechemverse 12
Joseph sent to find brothers
Ishmeelitesverses 25-27
Gileadverse 25
Egyptverses 25, 28
Midianitesverses 28, 36
Brought Joseph
Sold Joseph to Potiphar
Joseph sold for twenty pieces of silververse 28
Potipharverse 36
Officer of Pharaoh
Captian of the guard
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Evilverses 2, 20, 33
Hatedverses 4, 5, 8
Not speak peaceablyverse 4
Enviedverse 11
Conspired againstverse 18
Slay/ Killverses 18, 20, 21, 26
Profitverse 26
Sell Josephverse 27
Lyingverse 32
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Rebukeverse 10
Comfortverse 35
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Jacob (Israel)verses 2, 3, 10, 11, 32
Loved Joseph more than
Israel loved Joseph
coat of many colors
Rebuked Joseph for dream
Observed the saying
Rent his clothes at news of
Joseph’s death by animal
Refused to be comforted
Joseph = dreamerverses 2-36
Seventeen years old
Working with brothers
Son of Bilhah
With sons of Zilpah
Son of old age of Jacob
Coat of many colors
Brothers hated him
Dreamed a dreams
Sent of find brothers in Shechem
Went to Dothan
Called a dreamer
Put in pit
Sold to Midianites for
twenty pieces of silver
Brothers conspired evil beast killed Josephverses 18-33
Reuben wanted to save Joseph from deathverses 21, 22, 29
Judah wanted profit from sale of Josephverse 26
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
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QUOTES regarding passage
Joseph was the favorite son (vv. 3–4). Having experienced the sad consequences of favoritism in his boyhood home (25:28) and during his years with Laban (29:30), Jacob should have had more sense than to single out Joseph and pamper him. But Joseph was the son of his favorite wife, Rachel, and the human heart sometimes plays tricks with the mind and makes people do strange things. As Pascal wrote in his Pensees, “The heart has its reasons which reason cannot know.” However, it still wasn’t the wisest way to run the home.
We can’t be sure what the famous “coat of many colours” (37:3, kjv) really looked like, although “richly ornamented robe” (niv) is probably as good a translation as any. Apart from verses 23 and 32, the only other place the Hebrew word is found in the Old Testament is in 2 Samuel 13:18 describing the garment of a king’s daughter. Joseph’s “coat” reached to the ankles and had long sleeves. It was the rich garment of a ruler and not what the well-dressed shepherd needed out in the fields.
However, Jacob had something more important than fashion in mind when he gave Joseph this special coat. It was probably his way of letting the family know that Joseph had been chosen to be his heir. Reuben had forfeited his firstborn status because of his sin with Bilhah (35:22), and his next son, Simeon, had been involved with Levi in slaughtering the men of Shechem. Furthermore, Jacob’s first four sons had Leah as their mother, and Jacob hadn’t intended to marry Leah. The full intent of his heart was to marry Rachel, but Laban had tricked him. Jacob might have reasoned, “In God’s sight, Rachel was my first wife, and Joseph was her firstborn. Therefore, Joseph has the right to be treated as the firstborn.”
If this is the way the brothers viewed the scenario, then it’s no surprise that they hated Joseph. Jacob knew their true feelings and even brought it up when he was on his deathbed. “The archers have sorely grieved him [Joseph], and shot at him, and hated him” (49:23, kjv).
Hatred is a terrible sin because it generates other sins, “Hatred stirs up dissension, but love covers over all wrong” (Prov. 10:12). “Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness” (1 John 2:9). Hatred in the heart is the moral equivalent of murder (Matt. 5:21–26). “Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him” (1 John 3:15). (Wiersbe, W. W. (1997). Be authentic (pp. 79–81). Colorado Springs, CO: Chariot Victor Pub.)
37:2–4. After the heading introduces this section as the last ṯôleḏôṯ, the account of Jacob, the story of Joseph begins. Joseph is introduced as an obedient 17-year-old son who brought back a bad report about his half brothers (he did not bring a bad report about his full brother Benjamin). The substance of this report is not given. Though doing this has never been popular, it shows that Joseph was faithful as a servant. Naturally his brothers … hated him for this.
The lad was also honored by Jacob who gave him a richly ornamented robe, probably a multicolored tunic. This seems to signify that Jacob favored him above the rest with the intent of granting him all or a larger portion of the inheritance. For Joseph was the firstborn of Rachel, Jacob’s loved wife (30:22–24). Yet Jacob should have remembered what parental favoritism does to a family. It had separated him from his loving mother (27:1–28:5), and it would separate Joseph from Jacob. (Ross, A. P. (1985). (Genesis. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 87). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books)
Ver. 3.—Now (literally, and) Israel loved Joseph more than all his children (literally, sons), because he was the son of his old age—literally, a son of old age (was) he to him; not a son possessing the wisdom of advanced years (Onkelos), but a son born in his old age (Rosenmüller, Keil, Kalisch, et alii), which was literally true of Joseph, since he was born in his father’s ninety-first year. Yet as Joseph was only a year or two younger than the children of Bilhah and Zilpah, and as Benjamin was still later born than he, the application of this epithet to Joseph has been explained on the ground that Benjamin was at this time little more than a child (Keil), and had not much come into notice (Murphy), or perhaps was not born when this portion of the narrative was originally written (‘Speaker’s Commentary’); or that Joseph had obtained the name before Benjamin’s birth, and that it had clung to him after that event (Inglis). Josephus (‘Ant.,’ ii. 2, 1) gives another reason for Jacob’s partiality which is not inconsistent with the statement in the text, viz., the beauty of his person and the virtue of his mind, διὰ τε τὴν τοῦ σώματος εὐγένειαν, καί διὰ ψυχῆς ἀρετής. And he made him a coat of many colours—literally, a coat (kithoneth, from kathan, to cover; vide ch. 3:21) of ends (Keil, Lange), i. e. a tunic reaching to the ancles, and with sleeves reaching to the wrists, and commonly worn by boys and girls of the upper ranks (Josephus, ‘Ant.,’ vii. 8, 1; 2 Sam. 13:18), or a coat of pieces (Kalisch, T. Lewis, Wordsworth); hence a variegated garment, χιτὼν ποικίλος (LXX.), tunica polymita (Vulgate), a coat of many colours (Murphy, ‘Speaker’s Commentary’). “Such garments are represented on some of the monuments of Egypt. At Beni-Hassan, for example, there is a magnificent excavation forming the tomb of Pihrai, a military officer of Osirtasen I., in which a train of foreign captives appears, who are supposed to be Jebusites, an inscription over one person in the group reading, “The Chief of the Land of the Jebusites.” The whole of the captives are clad in parti-coloured garments, and the tunic of this individual in particular may be called “a coat of many colours’ (Thornley Smith, ‘Joseph and his Times,’ p. 12). It has been supposed that Jacob’s object in conferring this distinction on Joseph was to mark him out as the heir to whom the forfeited birthright of Reuben (1 Chron. 5:1) was to be transferred (Kurtz, Lange, Gerlach, Bush, Wordsworth, ‘Speaker’s Commentary,’ &c.); but the historian only mentions it as a token of affection, such as was customary in those times for princes to bestow upon their subjects, and parents on their children (vide Thornley Smith, ‘Joseph and his Times,’ p. 11). Roberts says the same thing is still done among the Hindoos, crimson, purple, and other colours being often tastefully sewed together for beautiful or favoured children (vide ‘Oriental Illustrations,’ p. 43). (Spence-Jones, H. D. M. (Ed.). (1909). Genesis (pp. 427–428). London; New York: Funk & Wagnalls Company.)
He is seventeen years old. Along with his brothers, he is a shepherd of his father’s sheep; and he is only a young lad (naʿar) compared with his other brothers. Most importantly, however, the writer introduces the fact that Joseph brought a “bad [raʿah] report” about his brothers to his father and also that his father Jacob loved him more than the other brothers because he was the son born to him in his old age (v.3a).
In the context of the preceding narratives about Jacob and his wives, we can see that Jacob’s special love for Rachel (wayyeʾehab gam-ʾeth -rahel milleʾah, “And he loved Rachel more than Leah,” 29:30) has carried over to that of her son, Joseph (weyisraʾel ʾahab ʾeth -yosep mikkol-banayw, “Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons,” v.3a). Since the story of Joseph is filled with wordplays and reversals, it seems likely that the reference to the “bad [raʿah] report” in v.2 foreshadows the brothers’ intended “evil” (raʿah; NIV, “harm”) spoken of in 50:20.
3b–11 The “richly ornamented robe” (v.3b) that Jacob made for Joseph visually illustrates the father’s preferential love for Joseph. As such the writer continually returns to the coat throughout the remainder of the story as a way of reminding the reader of this central issue in the narrative (vv.23, 31, 32, 33). Jacob’s preferential treatment of Joseph was the central problem that initiated the action of the story, for it angered Joseph’s brothers and turned them against him (v.4). Eventually their anger resulted in a plan to do away with him altogether (v.18). But first, adding to their hatred, Joseph recounted to his brothers two dreams, both of which end with the image of his brothers “bowing down” (wattishtahaweyna v.7; mishtahawim v.9; lehishtahawoth v.10) to him. The picture of the brothers bowing down to Joseph foreshadows the conclusion of the story where, because he is ruler of the land of Egypt, his brothers “bowed down” (wayyishtahawu, 42:6) to him. Thus on that occasion the narrative reminds us that Joseph “remembered his dreams about them” (42:9).
Ironically, however, the manner in which the Book of Genesis was composed suggests that the picture of Joseph and his brothers foreshadows even further the relationship between Judah and his brothers as pictured in Jacob’s words in 49:8: “Judah, … your father’s sons will bow down to you” (yishtahawwu). The picture of Joseph is transcended by that of Judah, just as the blessing that the sons of Joseph received in chapter 48 is transcended by that of Judah in chapter 49.
The fact that Joseph had two dreams that foreshadowed his future ascendancy over his brothers is to be understood in light of Joseph’s own words in chapter 41. There he explained to the Pharaoh, “The reason the dream was given to Pharaoh in two forms [paʿamayim lit., ‘twice’] is that the matter has been firmly decided by God, and God will do it soon” (41:32). So here the matter is already settled at the beginning of the story. God will surely bring to pass the fulfillment of Joseph’s dream. The writer is careful to show throughout this narrative that Joseph’s dreams do, in fact, come to pass.
The significance of the dreams is stated in the words of Joseph’s brothers: “Will you actually rule us?” (mashol timshol v.8). This reveals the sense of the “bowing down” (lehishtahawoth v.10) to be an acknowledgement of royalty and kingship. The irony of the narrative composition is that in the end such royal honor does not reside in the house of Joseph but in the house of Judah (“The scepter will not depart from Judah,” 49:10). (Sailhamer, J. H. (1990). Genesis. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers (Vol. 2, pp. 226–227). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.)
37:3–4 Verse 3, “Now Israel loved Joseph …,” provides background information for understanding the comment in v. 4. The narration echoes the divided love that Jacob and Esau received from their parents (25:28) and, more importantly, the preference Jacob had for Rachel (29:30). The names “Israel” and “Jacob” can be used interchangeably in the Joseph narrative when referring to the person (e.g., 37:3, 13; 42:5), although “Jacob” occurs for the occasions that his human weakness is forefront. “Jacob” heads one of the two patriarch’s genealogies (35:22), and the fuller genealogy possesses both (46:8). “Israel” also appears for the people (e.g., 47:27; 48:20). The appellatives are a common word pair (Jacob//Israel, e.g., Isa 44:1, 5) in the Old Testament, appearing already in Genesis (49:2, 7; cp. 48:2). The appearance of both names, “Jacob” (“grasps the heel,” “deceiver”) and “Israel” (“struggler with God”), brings to mind the transformation of the patriarch and the destiny God had foretold (see comments on 25:26; 32:28[29]). That Jacob suffered betrayal and spiritual struggle before he underwent his change is the course that his sons must also endure. Jacob’s partiality for Rachel and for her two sons doomed his family to the same strife he had experienced in his father’s household. The reason for the preference alludes to the barrenness of Rachel until their older years. The similar language, “the child of his old age” (NRSV, 44:20), was applicable to Benjamin when Rachel died in childbirth (35:18); the equivalent expression, “son in his old age,” describes the miracle of Isaac’s birth (21:2, 7). By “old age” the text points ahead to the circumstance of Benjamin’s favor, which becomes the subject of Joseph’s test. This expression reinforces Jacob’s affection for Rachel’s children, who alone, due to her untimely death, remained of his first love. Moreover, like Sarah, who valued Isaac as the miracle child of answered prayer, Rachel’s children received Jacob’s special protection.
Jacob exacerbated the tension when he provided Joseph a “richly ornamented robe,” distinguishing his son. This garment introduces the important literary idea of clothing in the Joseph narrative. The bestowal and removal of Joseph’s attire signified change in his social standing. The stripping of his garment by his brothers (v. 23) and the seizure of his cloak by Potiphar’s wife (39:12–13) represented his descending status—from favored son to slave, from slave overseer to prisoner. The snatched garments were used in both cases to bolster false claims against Joseph. The clothing and accessories he received from Pharaoh, on the other hand, announced his superior role as courtier (41:42). The final reference to clothing is the reversal of chap. 37, when Joseph presents clothing to his brothers, especially favoring Benjamin (45:22). Sadly ironic, the brothers probably recognized Joseph from afar by the splendid coat (v. 18), which they produced as evidence of his death (vv. 23, 31–33). The coat that had given Jacob pleasure became the symbol of his daily anguish. The precise meaning of the description of the garment (kĕtōnet passîm) remains uncertain; outside of this narrative it occurs only in 2 Sam 13:18–19. The term kĕtōnet occurs eight times in the chapter (vv. 3, 23[2×], 31[2×], 32[2×], 33). The kĕtōnet was an undergarment that corresponded to the Greek chitōn and Roman tunic, which was worn next to the body or over the loincloth by a man or woman (e.g., 2 Sam 13:18–19; Song 5:3). The kĕtōnet was half or full sleeved and could flow as low as the ankles. It was typically woolen but the priestly kĕtōnet was linen (e.g., Exod 28:39; Lev 16:4). The traditional rendering of kĕtōnet passîm, “a coat of many colors” (AV, ASV; cf. “a robe of many colors,” HCSB, or “a varicolored tunic,” NASB), followed the Greek and Vulgate understandings. The Greek term poikilos may also mean embroidered, hence “an ornamented” garment (NIV, NJPS). The alternative interpretation is “a long robe with sleeves” (NRSV, REB; or “a long tunic,” NAB), reading pas literally, the “flat” palm and/or sole of the foot. The LXX tradition also included this alternative interpretation.74
The text explains that it was the special coat that particularly angered them, taking it as proof of their father’s special love (v. 4). That the passage says they “hated” (śānēʾ) Joseph is another reminder of the competition between his wives; the Hebrew term describes Leah as “unloved” (śānēʾ, 29:31, 33), which, however, prompted the divine bestowal of her children, much to the affliction of Rachel. Their intense dislike produced only contemptuous words for him; Jacob’s household was tumultuous, absent common courtesy (“kind,” “peaceably,” šālôm). “There is no peace [šālôm], says the Lord, for the wicked” (Isa 48:22; 57:21). (Mathews, K. A. (2005). Genesis 11:27–50:26 (Vol. 1B, pp. 688–690). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.)
37:3 The name Israel was given to Jacob following his wrestling with the Lord (32:22–32). It is used interchangeably with Jacob (35:21, 22; 43:6). son of his old age: Jacob’s favoritism for his son Joseph may be explained as well by the special love he had for the boy’s mother (29:30). a tunic of many colors: This is a traditional translation. The Hebrew phrase (ketonet passı̂m) may simply mean a garment with long sleeves. The robe was distinctive in color or design and was probably costly (Radmacher, E. D., Allen, R. B., & House, H. W. (1999). Nelson’s new illustrated Bible commentary (p. 64). Nashville: T. Nelson Publishers)
Ver. 3. Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, &c.] He being the first-born of his beloved Rachel, and a lovely youth, of a beautiful aspect, very promising, prudent and pious: the reason given in the text follows, because he was the son of his old age; being 91 years of age when he was born; and the youngest children are generally most beloved, and especially such as are born to their parents when in years. Benjamin indeed was younger than Joseph, and is described in like manner, ch. 44:20 and for this reason one would think had the greatest claim to his father’s affections; wherefore some give a different sense of this phrase, and render it, the son or disciple of elders, senators, i.e. a wise and prudent man: and indeed, if being the son of his old age was the reason of his affection, Benjamin had the best claim to it, being the youngest, and born to him when he was still older; and this sense is countenanced by Onkelos, who renders it, “because he was a wise son to him:” and so the reason why he loved him more than the rest was, because of his senile wisdom; though a child in years, he was old in wisdom and knowledge. Abendana observes, that it was a custom with old men to take one of their little children to be with them continually, and attend upon them, and minister to them, and lean upon their arm; and such an one was called the son of their old age, because he ministered to them in their old age: and he made him a coat of many colours; that is, had one made for him, which was interwoven with threads of divers colours, or painted, or embroidered with divers figures, or made with different pieces of various colours: according to Jerom, it was a garment which reached down to the ankles, and was distinguished with great variety by the hands of the artificer, or which had long sleeves reaching to the hands; and so the Jewish writersg say it was called passim, because it reached to the palms of the hands: this might be an emblem of the various virtues which early appeared in him; or rather of the several graces of the spirit of God implanted in him, and of the raiment of needle-work, the righteousness of Christ, with which he was clothed, Psal. 45:14 and of the various providences which Jacob, under a spirit of prophecy, foresaw he would be attended with. (Gill, J. (1810). An Exposition of the Old Testament (Vol. 1, p. 239). London: Mathews and Leigh)
1–5. Joseph is the favorite of his father, but not of his brethren. In the land of his father’s sojournings. This contrasts Jacob with Esau, who removed to Mount Seir. This notice precedes the phrase, “These are the generations.” The corresponding sentence in the case of Isaac is placed at the end of the preceding section of the narrative (25:11). The son of seventeen years; in his seventeenth year (v. 32). The sons of Bilhah. The sons of the handmaids were nearer his own age, and perhaps more tolerant of the favorite than the sons of Leah the free wife. Benjamin at this time was about four years of age. An evil report of them. The unsophisticated child of home is prompt in the disapproval of evil, and frank in the avowal of his feelings. What the evil was we are not informed; but Jacob’s full-grown sons were now far from the paternal eye, and prone, as it seems, to give way to temptation. Many scandals come out to view in the chosen family. Loved Joseph. He was the son of his best-loved wife, and of his old age; as Benjamin had not yet come into much notice. A coat of many colors. This was a coat reaching to the hands and feet, worn by persons not much occupied with manual labor, according to the general opinion. It was, we conceive, variegated either by the loom or the needle, and is therefore well rendered χιτὼν ποικίλος, a motley coat. Could not bid peace to him. The partiality of his father, exhibited in so weak a manner, provokes the anger of his brothers, who cannot bid him good-day, or greet him in the ordinary terms of good-will. (Murphy, J. G. (1873). Notes on the Old Testament: Genesis (pp. 442–443). Boston: Estes and Lauriate.)
FROM MY READING:
OUR SECURITY IN GOD
And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. John 10:28
There is nothing uncertain about my acceptance with God, nor about my forgiveness, nor about my sonship. When I realize that I have been brought into God’s plan, I know that nothing can frustrate this.
Now there are many people who talk about the Protestant Reformation and the influence it had upon the world. You find that certain statesmen do this. They say you cannot explain the history of England apart from the Protestant Reformation. Neither, they say, can you explain the United States of America apart from these things, because they all had their origin in that Reformation. But how little do these people really see what it all means and what it really represents, which is that these great truths are absolute and certain. Do you know why the Pilgrim Fathers made that attempt and succeeded in crossing the Atlantic? What was it that enabled men to do things like that and to do things that were even more hazardous? It was that they believed in what is called the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints; it was because they had seen themselves in the plan of God that cannot be broken and that cannot fail. It is as absolute as God Himself; He knows the end as well as the beginning. “Neither shall any man, said Christ, pluck them out of my hand. It is unthinkable.
If God has done all this for us in Christ, and especially in His death, we can be certain that He will carry on with the work until it is completed. That is Paul’s argument: He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? (Romans 8:32). God, who is sufficiently concerned about me to send His Son to die on the cross of Calvary for me, is not going to let me down when any difficulty or temptation faces me.
A Thought to Ponder God is not going to let me down when any difficulty or temptation faces me. (From Saved in Eternity, pp. 63-64. By Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
In a secular age, preaching will be met with one of three responses. First, we will find ourselves preaching in a context of hostility. This will not necessarily take the form of overt action. But, at least in the immediate future, much of this hostility will look like cultural marginalization. Those who listen to us will now do so by paying social capital, not gaining social capital–a cultural situation notably different from our grandparents or even our parents. Second, our preaching will also often be met with befuddlement. For many among the intellectual elites, Christian preachers are not an object of hostility or derision as much as they are creatures of oddity. The plausibility structures of society are so different from our own that many people simply cannot understand us. Finally, we will find that we will not only be met with hostility and befuddlement, but also indifference. Many in our society will not even care enough about our message to spend their energies either in hostility or befuddlement. (Preaching as a Means of Survival by Al Mohler)
Exodus 12 is one of the most remarkable and important chapters in all of the Bible. In it we learn many things:
1. Only God can deliver us from sin.
2. Sin’s penalty is death.
3. God is willing to allow a substitute death, so that we don’t have to die.
4. Faith is the basis of our salvation. Our belief results in our obedience.
5. The Old Testament passover lamb is a foreshadowing of the New Testament Passover Lamb, Jesus Christ.
6. We are saved the same way the Israelites were saved: by faith in the substitutionary atonement of the Lamb which God provided.
7. Not to accept this avenue of escape is to suffer the wrath of God. (February 6, 2017, Quiet Walk by Walk Thru the Bible)
Haman deceives the king into signing an edict that would kill all the Jews.
INSIGHT
Man’s inhumanity to man over the ages has been astounding. Some of the acts of violence and degradation have defied comprehension. In this vein, Haman hatches a savage and inhumane plot against the Jews to have them annihilated–men, women, and children. King Ahasuerus also has a monstrous mind, willing to sanction such savagery without question. When sin progresses to such extremes, we see just how repulsive it is.
(Quiet Walk)
POWER
For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.
1 Corinthians 4:20 he apostle Paul tells us that whatever the kingdom of God may be, it is a power. Let us be clear about this. The Christian message is the proclamation of, and a history of, the greatest power that has ever entered into this world. There has been nothing that has so changed and affected the course of history and the lives of individuals as much as this message.
That is why we must always be careful to emphasize the fact that we are not concerned here primarily with a philosophy, but with a history. Jesus Christ dominates history; even the numbering of our years is acknowledged by His birth. He is, indeed, the biggest factor and the biggest power that history has ever known. The cross of Christ “towers o’er the wrecks of time.”
There is no doubt but that Christianity is the most powerful influence that has ever entered into the life of the whole world. It has changed communities as well as changing men and women. How easy it would be to recount the story of some of the great revivals that have taken place in the history of the Christian church. The great historian Lecky did not hesitate to say that what saved Britain from what was experienced by France at the time of the French Revolution was the evangelical or the so-called Methodist Revival of the eighteenth century. The effect of that revival is incalculable. It not only changed individuals but also whole communities. It gave people an interest in education, and schools came into being. It produced Sunday schools; it gave a stimulus to hospitals and medical care; it led to the reform of the “poor law.” All these things came out of that mighty visitation of the Spirit of God. Christianity is a power.
A Thought to Ponder: Whatever the kingdom of God may be, it is a power.
(From The Kingdom of God, pp. 109-111, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
Remember the only author that I totally agree with is the HOLY SPIRIT in the inerrant WORD OF GOD called THE BIBLE! All other I try to gleam what I can to help me grow in the LORD!!)
Learning by Example
“But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them.” (2 Timothy 3:14)
When Paul wrote these words to Timothy, they were in the midst of his foreboding prophecy of coming apostasy and persecution. Furthermore, he knew that he himself would soon be executed and that these might well be his final teachings to his young disciple and to others through him. It is remarkable that in such a setting the Spirit of God impelled him to use the example of his own life as the best and most fitting climax to his great ministry. “Just keep on believing and doing what I have been teaching you—that which you have seen put into practice in your own life.” These teachings and practices had just been recounted in verses 10-11, and what a remarkable summary they provide of a genuine Christian life!
Doctrine—my teachings, sound and true to God’s Word
Manner of life—my Christ-like behavior and habits
Purpose—my sole aim, to honor God and do His will
Faith—my faithfulness to His Word and its demands
Longsuffering—my patient forbearance
Charity—my showing true Christian love
Patience—my cheerful endurance in hard times
Persecutions—the unjust opposition heaped upon me
Afflictions—sufferings and tortures that I endured
The apostle Paul had maintained this strong and consistent Christian testimony for over 30 years following his conversion and could, in all good conscience and true humility, cite his own example as a true teaching aid for others to study and follow.
May Paul’s example be ours, and may our lives likewise become true examples of Christianity for any who are watching us today.
(HMM, The Institute for Creation Research)
Wayne writes (NY): In my opinion, the greatest sin in the church of Jesus Christ in this generation is ignorance of the Word of God. Many times I have heard a church officer say, “Well I don’t know much about the Bible, but…” and then he gives his opinion, which often actually contradicts the Word of God! Why doesn’t he know much about the Bible? These things were written aforetime for our learning. God wants you to know His Word. –J. Vernon McGee
This morning I stopped to get a coffee at the Tim Hortons inside the Mobile Gas Station at Lexington and Elmwood. There was a homeless woman and her dog sitting outside. A few minutes later, two Buffalo Police Officers pulled up and came inside. As I waited for my coffee, I saw that they were buying dog food and dog treats. When they approached the woman, she immediately seemed nervous as if she might be getting in trouble. I don’t think I will ever forget the way her face lit up when the officers handed her the bags and asked to pet her dog. This was so selfless and brought immediate tears to my eyes. Kindness: it’s an incredible thing. 
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